How to Pick Feverfew

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How to Pick Feverfew

Overview

Feverfew has a long history in herbal medicine. While many herbalists swear by its abilities to ease childbirth pains, migraines and even rheumatoid arthritis, further research is needed to reach scientific conclusions regarding this herb. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, states that active research is ongoing as of March 2010. If you want to evaluate feverfew for yourself and have some growing nearby, it is very easy to pick.

Step 1

Identify which parts of the feverfew plant you wish to use for your particular purpose. The most popular parts are the leaves and flowers, although sometimes the stems may be used as well. Feverfew flowers look similar to daisies, except their centers are big, yellow, puffy things filled with pollen. White petals ring the center, and the foliage is bright green, with a leaf shape similar to parsley.

Step 2

Pinch leaves and/or flowers off your feverfew plants. Choose big, healthy-looking ones. Do not pluck all the leaves or flowers from a single plant if you want it to continue growing.

Step 3

Place leaves and flowers in separate containers, if you are picking both. Recipes may call for specific amounts of each, and this will make it easier to measure accurately.

Step 4

Rinse the leaves and flowers off under cool running water before drying or otherwise using. Use a small strainer.

Things You'll Need

Container(s)

Small strainer

References

Government of Saskatchewan Agriculture: Feverfew

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health: Feverfew

About this Author

Amrita Chuasiriporn is a professional cook, baker, and writer. In addition to cooking and baking for a living, Chuasiriporn has written for several online publications. These include Chef's Blade, CraftyCrafty, and others. Additionally, Chuasiriporn is a regular contributor to online automotive enthusiast publication CarEnvy.ca. Chuasiriporn holds an A.A.S. in culinary arts, as well as a B.A. in Spanish language and literature.